Emilio Bonifacio DFA'd

[ScottyB]

From what I know, contracts received through the arbitration process aren't guaranteed. If the player is released prior to the season, the club only owes the player 30-45 of his salary, depending when he was released.

 

So if he is released, I believe he would become a free agent and the Royals would have to pay 30 days of the $3.5 million he was owed.

 

The contract was not received via arbitration, it was agreed to, to avoid arbitration. If a player is claimed through waivers, the claiming team is responsible for the player's contract. If the player clears waivers, and no one signs him, then KC pays a pro-rated amount. If he signs with another team as a free agent, they are free to renegotiate a contract for a lesser or greater amount and KC would be off the hook. Any way you slice it, the claiming or signing team would end up paying the bulk (if not all) of the contract.

[beckmt]

The contract was not received via arbitration, it was agreed to, to avoid arbitration. If a player is claimed through waivers, the claiming team is responsible for the player's contract. If the player clears waivers, and no one signs him, then KC pays a pro-rated amount. If he signs with another team as a free agent, they are free to renegotiate a contract for a lesser or greater amount and KC would be off the hook. Any way you slice it, the claiming or signing team would end up paying the bulk (if not all) of the contract.

 

I could be wrong on this, but my understanding is the team the releases the player is responsible for the contract and the buying team only pays the minimum, but the releasing team if in the offseason may only be responsible for a month of it. It makes a big difference if the Twins can sign him for $500 K and have KC pick up the rest. If it is only a month, then it could cost the Twins about 1.5 mil to sign him and he may have many better postseason opportunities to choose from.

[ashbury]

My Fingers are crossed with hope. It Maskes it harrrd to type.

 

So far I haven't noticed the difference.

[The Wise One]

KC is responsible for the guarenteed portion of the contract. If a team picks him up as a free agent they would be responsible for the minimum wage. I would really doubt that someone would pay him more than his KC contract

[JB_Iowa]

This seems like a pretty good summary of his status:

http://www.royalsreview.com/2014/2/10/5399802/royals-request-release-waivers-emilio-bonifacio

 

They are saying that it is likely he will clear waivers and the new team could negotiate a new contract with him but that Royals would owe him 1/6th of previously agreed on salary ($500,000+).

 

Not sure why the 1/6th rather than some other fraction.

[JB_Iowa]

• Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal
  Bonifacio clears waivers at 2 p.m. ET tomorrow. At that point would become free agent. #Royals would owe him about $575K in termination pay.
   
   
   
   
  

7:12 AM - 11 Feb 2014

[Riverbrian]

Price Tag seems to be the issue as it is in all walks of life.

 

I'd pay it but I don't have that kind of cash on me.

[Willihammer]

What's the over/under on his new contract? I'll wager 2 bills. Possibly 2.5 if the Yankees and Dodgers get into a bidding war and box out teams like the Twins.

[nicksaviking]

What's the over/under on his new contract? I'll wager 2 bills. Possibly 2.5 if the Yankees and Dodgers get into a bidding war and box out teams like the Twins.

 

I would hope 2.5 isn't enough to box anyone out in this day and age of baseball, but refusing to overpay for a utility player may be more of an issue of principle.

[jokin]

I would hope 2.5 isn't enough to box anyone out in this day and age of baseball, but refusing to overpay for a utility player may be more of an issue of principle.

 

Except for Jamey Caroll....

[Otto von Ballpark]

Not sure why the 1/6th rather than some other fraction.

 

I think it's supposed to be one month's salary, which is effectively 1/6?

[Otto von Ballpark]

Will be interesting to see what kind of "bidding war" there could be. He's been traded a few times, but never as a centerpiece, always an auxiliary part. And last year, the Royals got him from the Blue Jays for cash, not even a PTBNL. (And they only "committed" to his $3.5 mil salary for 2014 knowing full well they could cut him later for $500k. And, they're the Royals, so questionable roster/financial decisions are standard operating procedure )

[cmathewson]

I doubt he gets over a mil at this point. Anyone could have had him for 2.5. Apparently his services are not in such demand after all. Could it be he is not the second coming of Cesar Tovar?

[nicksaviking]

Will be interesting to see what kind of "bidding war" there could be. He's been traded a few times, but never as a centerpiece, always an auxiliary part. And last year, the Royals got him from the Blue Jays for cash, not even a PTBNL. (And they only "committed" to his $3.5 mil salary for 2014 knowing full well they could cut him later for $500k. And, they're the Royals, so questionable roster/financial decisions are standard operating procedure )

 

No kidding. Other teams will be looking at his full body of work last year but why would the Royals? Most aquiring teams would likely evaluate a player based on what they did for THEM after the trade, and in only 42 games he put up a 1.2 WAR with a .352 OBP and .700 OPS. That kind of production from a jack-of-all trades utility player seems pretty reasonable to me if I'm a member of the Royals front office.

[nicksaviking]

I doubt he gets over a mil at this point. Anyone could have had him for 2.5. Apparently his services are not in such demand after all. Could it be he is not the second coming of Cesar Tovar?

 

The second coming of Nick Putno snagged $4 mill per year. The third coming of Nick Punto even got $2.75 mill per and he just signed in November.

[ScottyB]

Bonifacio has cleared waivers

[stringer bell]

MLBTradeRumors (via Doogy) reports that the Twins have displayed no interest in Bonifacio. I am disappointed, but not surprised.

[Riverbrian]

This is why I'm not GM material. 30 teams passed on someone I would have been all over.

 

I would have traded for Bonofacio. I still don't understand how he isn't a perfect fit for us.

[nicksaviking]

Wolfson may be right, but he has been all over the place this offseason. I can't remember if it was Hughes or Nolasco that he said the Twins weren't in on, then only a couple of days later they signed.

 

Then last week we had him saying the Twins were expressing zero interest in Aledmys Diaz:

Then said the exact opposite six days later:

[cmathewson]

I'm not at all surprised. If you're a utility guy and you are not a wiz with the glove, you better carry more lumber than he has in his career. Plus, at age 30, he's in decline. Better to give opportunities to guys with upside, even if it means you're marginally worse than you would have been with the veteran. Maybe a minor-league deal?

[ashbury]

I would have traded for Bonofacio. I still don't understand how he isn't a perfect fit for us.

 

He doesn't get after it? He's thirty and he still has his tail, it apparently not being battled off?

[Linus]

He doesn't get after it? He's thirty and he still has his tail, it apparently not being battled off?

 

He is a gamer though.....

[stringer bell]

I'm not at all surprised. If you're a utility guy and you are not a wiz with the glove, you better carry more lumber than he has in his career. Plus, at age 30, he's in decline. Better to give opportunities to guys with upside, even if it means you're marginally worse than you would have been with the veteran. Maybe a minor-league deal?

Picking nits here, but my math says that he is 28, but will play almost all of the 2014 as a 29 year old.

[jokin]

He doesn't get after it? He's thirty and he still has his tail, it apparently not being battled off?

 

Emilio would appreciate that it be known:

 

BD= 4/23/85, with tail still intact.

[old nurse]

He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs.

[johnnydakota]

He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs.

 

2.5 million plus another 425,000 in incentives posible ,so he could make his 3.5 millon yet this year

[Riverbrian]

Dang it!!! I'm ok... I just gotta walk it off.

[jokin]

2.5 million plus another 425,000 in incentives posible ,so he could make his 3.5 millon yet this year

 

Not bad for a "minor league" deal:p. I'm pretty sure Bonifacio had multiple options available to him and went for the one that all but assured him making the 25 man out of ST.

 

$2.925M as a replacement cost at the utility spot for Jamey Caroll's $3.75M from last year, without giving up a prospect, would have represented a good value for the Twins. Too bad the Twins didn't pursue this a little more aggressively.

 

On the bright side, maybe this means that they are hoping that Buxton, and possibly Santana are closer than we think, and might prove themselves ready for a call-up after the All Star break?

[The Wise One]

The manager of the Cubs Rick Rienteria gave Bonafacio the ringing endorsement of "he doesn't hurt us". Bonafacio will probably be stashed in the minors untill one of the prospects falls flat. Not a bad idea for the Cubs. Not a good one for Bonafacio unless his agent figures on the prospects falling flat. Maybe the Cubs figure figure they can hold onto him and get a prospect forr him like they did with Borbon.

[jokin]

The manager of the Cubs Rick Rienteria gave Bonafacio the ringing endorsement of "he doesn't hurt us". Bonafacio will probably be stashed in the minors untill one of the prospects falls flat. Not a bad idea for the Cubs. Not a good one for Bonafacio unless his agent figures on the prospects falling flat. Maybe the Cubs figure figure they can hold onto him and get a prospect forr him like they did with Borbon.

 

Sounds like exactly the type of endorsement that a 26th man veteran should receive.

 

Yes, he's signed as an insurance policy with potential underlying value on a team that will have prospects playing at multiple positions and many of whom may need to be spelled or optioned back to AAA. Kind of exactly the same situation that the Twins are in. And a cheaper insurance policy than Jamey Carroll was in 2013. And if they get an offer for Darwin Barney, they have someone they can plug in immediately. It sounded like there were 8 or 9 clubs interested with multiple offers, and this one was chosen as it may give Bonifacio the best chance to stick in the majors, and possibly get traded to a contender if/when the need should arise.

 

The Cubs didn't get a prospect for Borbon, although they do employ that strategy as a matter of routine. The Orioles took Borbon away from the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft. They also frequently look to seek value from fringe players- look what they got for Danny Valencia.